Many modern vehicles incorporate telematics devices for providing a variety of fee-based subscription services in a mobile environment, including navigational assistance. An in-vehicle telematics device typically includes a plurality of communication interfaces, including cellular and/or satellite transceivers. As part of providing navigational assistance, for example when requesting and receiving road network data, a telematics device may need to establish a radio communication link with a call center via a wireless (e.g., cellular) network.
In the process of provisioning a telematics unit, the telematics service provider needs to assign a wireless telephone number to the telematics unit for communicating data. Hence, the customer dials the assigned wireless number to communicate with the telematics unit from an outside number.
The typical process of provisioning a wireless telephone number for a telematics unit involves selecting an available number based on a customer's zip code, which may result in a number that is dissimilar from the customer's other contact numbers. Consequently, such number may be difficult to remember, such as when the customer's zip code is served by multiple area codes.
Since telematics services are frequently used, a telematics unit number that is difficult to remember may decrease customer safety, as well as reduce customer satisfaction with the telematics services in general.